FATHER OF THE YEAR Big Hearted John Sundermann.
James Samarelli, Jr.
Umberto Esposito, loyal Gazette reader.
Al Poane, prominent local artist.
Tony Vaz.
Chief Tommy Boyd and Mr. George Tompkins.
Theo Tassioulas.
Eric, contractor at the Kim Pascarella Law Office project.
TOMS RIVER SOUTH FOOTBALL BEAUTY Francesca Cipriani
Pete saw the liftoff of the Space Shuttle Discovery STS-120 on October 23, 2007 as part of a day long tour of the Kennedy Space Center.
The STS-120 crew members: From the left are astronauts Pamela A. Melroy, STS-120 commander; Daniel M. Tani, Expedition 16 flight engineer; George D. Zamka, STS-120 pilot; Douglas H. Wheelock, Scott E. Parazynski, Stephanie D. Wilson and European Space Agency’s (ESA) Paolo Nespoli of Italy, all mission specialists. Image credit: NASA
Discovery‘s STS-120 mission was to deliver this Italian-built module, called Harmony to the International Space Station. Additionally, the crew would perform a total of ten spacewalks to install and repair other parts of the ISS.
In order to get in place to see the launch, Pete had to get to KSC way before dawn.
The Kennedy Space Center was the idea of the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy, whose image is prominently displayed at the entrance.
During some free time, Pete toured the full-sized mock-up shuttle Explorer.
This is a shuttle crew cabin where the commander and pilot control the vehicle during liftoff and landing.
This is a shuttle payload bay, a large compartment where satellites (as shown) are released into space from the orbiter.
Here is Discovery on pad 39A just prior to launch. Pete’s viewing area was from a causeway at KSC, a safe distance of six miles away from the launch pad and its toxic fumes and exhaust.
As soon as Discovery was in space, NASA monitors showed its position in Earth’s orbit.
This photo of the Earth was beamed back from Discovery when it’s payload bay doors were opened to release heat from the orbiter. A portion of the Harmony mode for the ISS can be seen strapped into the compartment.
The California wildfires, as seen from Discovery.
Discovery would rendezvous with the International Space Station two days after launch. (This is an actual photo of the ISS, taken from a live monitor inside a public information/education center at KSC.)
2007 IS THE YEAR OF THE WOMAN FOR SHUTTLE/I.S.S. PROGRAMS When Discovery STS-120 docked with the International Space Station, history was made. It was the first time that both commanders were women. Shown here are Discovery Commander Pamela Melroy(left) with ISS Commander Peggy Whitson.
HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM! STS-120 suddenly became an even more historic mission, having to repair this urgent damage on one of the ISS solar panels that the astronauts were installing.
Using makeshift materials, the astronauts would have to make these complicated repairs on a daring spacewalk.
Astronaut Scott Parazynski (shown here on the end of the shuttle’s robotic arm) performed the complicated repairs , assisted by fellower spacewalking Astronaut Doug Wheelock as well as the crew inside the orbiter. This was said to be the most challenging, dangerous and possibly the most important spacewalk in the history of the shuttle program. Without this successful repair, the tight schedule for the rest of the remaining ISS building project and projected shuttle program retirement in 2010, would not have been able to continue.
Congratulations to the crew of STS-120 were phoned-in from former President George H.W. Bush, and former First Lady Barbara Bush.
The official NASA photo of the STS-120 crew. CLICK ON THE CREW MEMBERS NAME TO SEE THEIR BIOGRAPHY FROM WIKIPEDIA.ORG (left to right) Parazynski, Wheelock, Wilson, Zamka, Melroy, Tani and Nespoli
The upper unit of this home in the rear of 113 Carteret Avenue was completed gutted by fire during the early morning hours of October 29th.
A quick moving fire completely gutted the upstairs apartment in the rear building of 113 Carteret Avenue in Seaside Heights during the early morning hours of October 29th, but firefighters from Seaside Heights and Point Pleasant Beach prevented the fire from spreading to an adjacent luxury condominium building. According to commanding officer, 1st Assistant Chief Billy Rumbolo from the SHFD, the call came in at about 3:30 a.m. Passersby noticed the fire and awakened nearby neighbors. (According to a neighbor from the same property, the premises had just been vacated about two hours earlier by the previous tenants.) First responders from Station 44 encountered the upper unit fully involved in fire, with the wind spreading the flames towards one of the four buildings of the large Oceana Villas condominiums, separated by just a few feet. Although siding was melted, the other building was not ignited. Flames could be seen coming from every window of the upstairs unit, and damage was complete. However, it only took firefighters about 15 minutes to bring the blaze under control. Also responding to the blaze was the FAST team from Point Pleasant Beach. Lavallette FD also assisted by being on call to respond should another call come into Seaside Heights while the Station 44 firefighters were on the scene of the structure fire. Following the blaze, investigators from the Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office were on the scene for approximately six hours. After the OCFM was done with the investigation, the building was then cleared so that the Station 44 firefighters could examine the scene and officers could perform a critique of operations as part of on-going education. The complex at 113 Carteret Avenue, which is known for its landmark lighthouse that adorns the front of the property, is owned by landlord Theodore Szejnrok. In 2005, a structure fire inflicted heavy damage at 34 Fremont Avenue, another building that is owned by Mr. Szejnrok.
Flames threatened the neighboring Oceana Villas condo building, melting siding, but not igniting the structure.
Station 44 members attended a critique at the site of the structure fire at 113 Carteret Avenue the following evening. (From left to right) Victor Rose, John Praznic, Randy Cabral, Ed Long, Eli Oliveri
For Halloween/Election season 2007, Seaside Heights Mayor Ken Hershey ordered 1,200 Hershey bars!
The Hershey Bars the Mayor handed out to children at his door were labeled with Halloween stickers.
The bars intended for political use were labeled with the H.O.T. team logo for the team of Hershey, Ottoson and Tompkins in 2007.
Helping the Mayor label the bars were assistant John, and (supposedly) retired assistant Miss Cali, visiting from South Carolina.
Bill Hibell(left) and James “Jimmy O’D” O’Donnell are now year-round Code Enforcement officials in Seaside Heights.
Seaside Heights has 2 new Code Enforcement Officers: The Seaside Heights Office of Code Enforcement has added James “Jimmy O’D” O’Donnell and Bill Hibell to its year-round staff as of November 1, 2007. The two new officers will conduct inspections of hotels and residential dwellings around the Borough. Bill is a resident of Dupont Avenue and is a SHFD firefighter. Jimmy O’D is well known as a former local lifeguard, bartender, and most recently a member of the Public Relations staff, manning the information booth at Kearney Avenue during the summers of 2006 and 2007. Jim and Bill will join the department, led by head Code Enforcer Ken Roberts and his office-based assistant Anita Alliston.
popartpete.com INTERNATIONAL CYBERSPACE STATION 
